R&B singer Silk-EвЂ™s sings the sultry and convincing slow jam вЂњBaby LetвЂ™s Have a Baby Before Bush Do SomethinвЂ™ CrazyвЂќ, sounding completely sincere about what could be played as a joke. Musically this is the sexiest Coup album yet, a fact lyrically brought to the fore on a pair of songs that present sex and intimacy as a means of blissful escape from lifeвЂ™s harshness. ThereвЂ™s that вЂthis is the jamвЂ feeling at the start of the track, whether itвЂ™s a Funkadelic-style blues-rock jam (вЂњCaptain SterlingвЂ™s Little ProblemвЂќ), a sunny-day soul song (вЂњI Love Boosters!вЂќ), or a quiet-storm crawl (вЂњMindFuckвЂќ). At the start of вЂњShoYoAssвЂќ a woman says, вЂњOoh thatвЂ™s it, thatвЂ™s my song.вЂќ That is the feeling many of the songs here generate. But under-emphasizing the physical appeal of the deep soul and funk jams that the band conjures up would be way worse.

Overemphasizing the вЂњlive bandвЂќ aspect of the album could be misinterpreted as privileging вЂњrealвЂќ instruments over turntables, samplers, and drum machines, all used here as well. The liner notes for Pick a Bigger Weapon list the groupвЂ™s members as Boots Riley, DJ Pam the Funkstress, and вЂњvarious friends with things that make noise.вЂќ In other words, this time they make particularly good use of a tight band, with deep bass, fiery guitar licks, a B-3 organ, and a horn section.

With each album the CoupвЂ™s lyrical messages come across stronger because the music has grown tighter, fuller, more alluring. Meanwhile, the weapons the Coup use are wit, frankness, storytelling, poetry, smooth soul music and raw funk. Pick a Bigger Weapon offers a constant call for new leaders who are willing to use whatever weapons are necessary to truly improve conditions for the poor and the down-trodden. At the tail end of the disco/early Prince-driven вЂњShoYoAssвЂќ, The CoupвЂ™s emcee Boots Riley boosts an old hook from Controversy, re-phrasing it slightly: вЂњitвЂ™s introduction of a new breed of leaders / stand up and organize.вЂќ Where (until lately) Prince was always connecting liberation to sexuality, often in vague or mystical terms, the Coup speak literally of economic liberation, while riding a groove thatвЂ™s sexy as hell.

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